


Out Of The Nest

by Arnielia



Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Flashback, Leaving Home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-06-20 16:15:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15538077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arnielia/pseuds/Arnielia
Summary: As people from years ago would say, a mother bird would push her babies out of the nest so they could fly away and start their lives, those who could not fly, well their future were bleak. But what would happen when a bird had no choice but to make the baby bird fly when neither of them are ready to do it?





	Out Of The Nest

"Jenn Jackson!" Nell shouted as she usually would, warning her niece that she was already running late to their morning routine.  
"I'm coming!" She replied, hopping down the rickety stairs with her radio in one hand, blasting her newest holotape find.  
"What did we say about music and breakfast?" She rolled her good eye, her relaxed face giving away that she was not being strict "and running around recklessly? You want a knee like mine?"  
"I'm sorry I just really like this man's voice so much, I get pumped and ready to be rebellious! Shame I can't find the name..." Jenn replied as she sat the radio down on the counter, taking out the holotape which only had the initials E.P. scribbled on it with a permanent marker. She turned the volume down and hit the duct tape covered contraption a few times until it reached the one station Nell liked, and the only one that worked anymore. A plate with beans appeared in front of Jenn as she sat down and began digging in. "Any news last night while you were up reading?" Nell told her, giving away that she knew Jenn did not go to bed when she said she would.  
"You cannot expect me to just read in silence, plus always have to be alert as the soldiers say."  
"You mean the same -NCR- soldiers that came and tried to extort everyone in town out of their caps?" Nell replied, obviously the entire group was something she disliked in its entirety.  
"Nell you know they aren't -that- bad".  
Silence, she just stared.  
"Okay they aren't that great but-".  
Silence again.  
"Sure they take rations from the farmers cause their soldiers 'need' it. And the ammo from the general store. And that brahmin. Okay they aren't great but they keep us safe! That counts for something, right?"  
"Jenn..." Nell sighed, gulping down her coffee, which was more ground beans than water, "the only thing that protects us in this land is that" she pointed at her rifle. Battered, taken from her station in Oregon before they ran south.  
Jenn frowned. It seemed that, at this rate, there was no one good left in the world. Goodness was a thing that faded a long time ago, before her birth, and nothing came free in the world anymore not even a feeling of security. As she sunk into that small pit of dissatisfaction, she felt a rough hand clasp hers, making her drop her spoon. Their eyes met.  
"I know I talk a lot of bad things, heck I don't remember a time where I spoke positively in concession" she chuckled softly, "but for some things, I have a reason, a good one and it's my duty to warn you. Some things will make you think you'll feel safe but, oh once you get there, you will feel absolutely miserable. There is no worse feeling on this earth knowing you exchanged your freedom for the illusion of being secure."  
This time Jenn was the one who was silent. What her aunt spoke came from the heart, these were the most compassionate things she could say. It was not in her nature to be soft spoken and full of love, she just couldn't be, the world did not allow her to be so, but when she had to say something, it was always with the sincerest intent.  
"You're grown now, I'd have to throw you out soon, so I should give you all the advice I can" she retracted her hand and stretched, scratching her head, feeling her hair had grown out notably since she shaved it a few months ago.  
"Thank you Nell" she replied and took her spoon back, "one day when I leave I hope I'll be ready".  
"One day" Nell repeated, agreeing with her. Jenn still had much to learn even at her age. She had given up on coddling her like she first thought she should years ago, she needed to learn how to fight and protect herself in real life situations. They were making progress in shooting, managing to keep her calm while shooting at -inanimate- objects, and only mildly shaky when shooting geckos in the desert. But that wouldn't be enough for her.  
"Oh darn I just remembered!" She jumped, spilling the beans onto the floor. She grinned with guilt and mouthed sorry. Nell sighed and looked at her, wanting to know what was so urgent.  
"I promised Mr. and Mrs. Newman that I'd help fix up a few of their things at the farm. Mr. Newman hurt his back a few days ago trying to calm down a brahmin so he needs to rest and Mrs. Newman doesn't have a clue what tools they need" she spoke as she walked around the house, grabbing all the tools and rolls of duct tape she had on her and shoving it into a toolbox, "I'll be back around sundown, I think they have some sarsaparilla left from my last visit so I'll be good until dinner".  
"You're dinner will be waiting on the floor" she replied since it was a notable amount spilled.  
"Counting on it!" She smiled and opened the door "see you later auntie" she slammed the already broken door and hurried off. Nell rolled her eyes and started her routine of cleaning up whatever mess Jenn had managed to make, then maintaining all her guns, before getting one more cup of coffee. Getting down to work was not something that took much brain power, it was part of her routine, so she would often drift off and reminisce. Oregon, twenty years ago. Bree. Chris. Their tiny house and herself, just newly appointed as head of the Oregon guard unit. A dream life. Bree saying that all this luck is because of the baby coming, their four leaf clover, and in some ways they were right since things only went up for years after Jenn's birth. Then it went downhill. So many dead. Bree. Chris. Their home burnt down. Her running with Jenn in her arms, her eye gone but the fear still so real.  
Smash.  
She looked down and the very plate Jenn had been eating from was now in pieces, her hands even more cut now. She returned to reality and dropped it all and went to tend to her hands immediately. Thankfully the first aid kit was usually only something she used, Jenn always mostly scraping herself but nothing that needed much attention. She cursed herself and her own reckless mind. How could she think that being alone with her thoughts was a smart idea, and where was the music?. She turned and saw the radio had long since stopped playing. With a heavy sigh, she got up and turned on the regular radio station they picked up in this town. She took her half drunk bottle of water and poured a bit over her neck, needing to get herself together.  
"Project Purity that began a few years ago is now one of the most notable historical events post the war since health in the East has improved greatly over the years thanks to this purification."  
"Now this just in folks. The borders with Nevada are reported to be swept by Caesar's Legion. Many have been advised to seek refuge with the NCR if you cannot run fast enough. Stay safe citizens!"  
She bolted up dropping her bottle.  
"What in the ever loving fuck is this now..." She breathed, heavily worried. Her first instinct was to check outside if Jenn was nearby, or anyone. She opened the doors wide and looked around.  
Everyone who had a radio was jumping out of their houses with anything they could carry with them. Women were putting their children in their arms with only a bag and hurrying, farmers were taking their prized cattle and herding them as fast as they could. It was true.  
Nell shook her head, she wanted to run too, but Jenn was not home, nor did she know when the Legion would be upon the town. She was stuck there, like an animal in a cage. She ran back inside and tried to calm herself, knowing she would be useless if she let herself panic. But it was becoming extremely difficult to stay composed while nobody was there. She needed a plan that's what she thought. Yes, a plan to make sure she can at least get Jenn out safe. They needed to find a strategy to get out safe. One problem was speed. Jenn might be able to run enough to escape, but Nell's injury from Oregon had never healed properly and she could never run properly, she was dead weight to her. A liability. The only option for both of them was to take a path that would surely be safe.  
A rumble came from outside. Without a second thought Nell grabbed her rifle and fell to the floor below the window, her heart racing. The next thing she heard was mumbling, two men having a conversation.  
"Don't talk so much, we need to assess how many people are still around and who we can take".  
"You think there is anything of worth left?"  
"These villages always have some hidden gems. Girls good for making future soldiers, young boys to convert, old people to break".  
She held in her breath and slowly got up, not making one sound. She looked out and two men were left from her window, hiding at the corner, looking around.  
One, two, bam. One of them fell to the ground instantly, the bullet hitting his head, the other turning and gasping, looking at the window and seeing an older woman with a rifle aiming at him. Before he could get his own weapon, she pulled the trigger once again shooting that hand, making him grunt loudly. She took one look at him and saw the crimson and brown armour, immediately knowing Legion. The others were close.  
"You won't live to see anyone die you blind heart eating monsters!" She shouted and shot again, this time missing and hitting right next to his foot as he began running, presumably to his camp. She was out of time now for sure, he was fast enough to run away before she could grab more ammunition or another gun, so word about this would be coming quickly. There was no chance of her and Jenn getting out alive together. Her heart began to ache and her breathing was getting worse, falling to the floor against the wall. She could not protect Jenn now, the one duty she was given, and she would not be able to fulfil it.  
"Bree. I'm sorry........I can't ....I can't save her this time!" She said and fought back tears, trying to stop her erratic breathing, "there is no way I can get her out and watch her, I can't let her go alone she'll be in the ground in less than a year! I can't!" devastation hit her hard, this realization that again she could do nothing being as painful as a bullet. Her mind became cloudy and she could not think of anything anymore. She wanted to stay there and let the world take her.  


> Candles up in heaven,  
>  Lend your light so strange.  
> 

She sniffled, realizing the radio was still playing all this time, there in it, lie the voice of reason. Letting the music play, she got up and knew there was only one answer to all of this. One that nobody would like.

 

Just as the sun began to fall and all became a deep orange hue, Jenn walked home, oblivious to the emptiness of the town. She held her nearly finished sarsaparilla and entered the house.  
"Sorry It took so long! Turns out Mr. and Mrs. Newman were actually moving cause Mr. Newman is part of the NCR and they won't be around for a bit! That's good for you I guess. So they needed to fix up stuff just in case they come back one day, they fed me so I'm good for- Nell?" She realized that it all seemed eerily quiet. She walked steadily to the kitchen and saw Nell in her chair, her gaze vacant, and a bag in front of her.  
"What's this? We moving again?" She asked, trying to shake off the bad feeling she had.  
"You, yes." She replied harshly, holding her rifle like a walking cane, "it's time".  
Jenn's already big eyes widened in disbelief, "what are you saying?"  
"I ain't repeating myself. You are out of here".  
"But that's insane, I don't have where to go".  
"I packed you up some caps so you can survive a bit, water, rations and even an army knife I had, so you can't say I wasn't generous" she counted, completely ignoring how upset Jenn was becoming.  
"I can't just go like that! I barely know anything!" She began shouting, becoming emotional and scared.  
"You go up to Nevada, and continue on either East or West, whatever is your fancy. It's not up to me anymore" she inspected her gun.  
She just stood her, her eyes becoming glossy.  
"Can't we just sleep on it and talk about this tomorrow?" She asked weakly, hoping her aunt would find it somewhere in her heart to change her mind and let them stay together for a little while longer at least.  
She sighed and picked up her gun, putting it in her lap "If you do not go now I'll have to make you Jenn. At some point everyone has to start their own life. You need yours , and I need my own life not taking care of you. I am tired and cannot be your babysitter even if you act like a baby at twenty."  
Those words were not easy to hear nor say, but there was no other option. Jenn became more upset by these words, and swiftly grabbed the bag, noting it had some weight.  
"Fine! If I'm a burden I'll go make my own life and you won't see me ever again!" She shouted, tears falling but her tone was full of anger and distress.  
"That's all I ask of you. Don't look back kid, and don't get killed" Nell merely replied, causing Jenn to be filled with anguish as she ran out stomping, smashing the door shut and finally causing it to fall and break. Nell just simply sat in her seat, holding her gun as she polished it. Every single time she thought she was done however, another tear would fall onto the metal. She was grieving, feeling like she sent the child into her death.  
"You aren't ready for the world but, Jenn Jackson, the world isn't ready for you either" she said wiping her nose, feeling it become colder and everything become dark. Waiting. Expecting. Her fate had now become sealed and the stomping that grew louder became like a war drum for her, making her heart beat quicken, her grip tighten, and her mind clear up. If it was written down that she would have to fight alone, she would make it a fight the Legion would dread thinking about repeating.


End file.
